Army is a laughing matter now.. Review on Private Benjamin Movie

Private Benjamin

The army was no laughing matter until Judy Benjamin (Goldi Hawn) joined in..

All Judy wanted in her life was nice clothes, maids, a good home and to be taken care of… she has always been “provided with” all that (Note : she has not made it on her own… she has been provided with)… Earlier her dad provided her with everything… now she gets all that when she marries Yale (Albert Brooks)…. This is her second marriage.. ..

But he dies of a stroke while making love to her, on their wedding night… now after her six hour marriage… she finds herself in a world where she have no rights… as she herself sobs to the radio show host, calling out of depression “I feel, I have never not belonged to someone”.. She has been always dependent on somebody… and now she does not know what to do… help comes in the form of a military official who responds to her radio distress call… and asks her to meet him…

He puts in front of Judy, brochures showing “Condos”.. “Yatches”… and describes a life full of luxury to her, if she joins the army… and she does …. Only to regret soon… but ends up liking it….

The army is tough with her… but it is with the army that she learns to maintain her self respect… her confidence… On the way.. she falls -head over heels - in love with Henri Tremont (Armand Assante).. a French gynecologist…She leaves her work… her due promotion in the army.. everything for him.. only to find that Henri is a “shmuck”.. He lives in his own world… and wants Judy to live life in his terms… and what does Judy do to him? She leaves him at the altar…punching him and saying “Don’t call me Stupid”!!!…

A women would do anything … anything… if you love her and respect her… she would do things which she herself would dislike… and in return would expect to be loved and respected… This is a cool movie with a women’s liberation theme…and a wonderful take off on how army would influence normal people… Farhan Akthar could have taken a cue from this movie.. before he made Lakshya… this is much more interesting…

When it comes to comedy… Hawn is marvelous.. I cant imagine anybody else doing this role… For this movie, she was nominated in the best actress category for Oscars as well as Golden Globe awards.. I am surprised she dint win…

The story is good. Howard Zieff directed this movie….. Nancy Meyers who directed “What Women Want” has co-written this movie..

Favourite Quotes :

“Don’t they come in any other colour”…. (Judy to the officer distributing green army uniforms to the recently recruited soldiers)

Pvt Benjamin : My husband died while we were making love, of heart attack.

Pvt Winters: What did u do then

Pvt Benjamin: I joined the army!

Judy Benjamin: I think they sent me to the wrong place.

Sgt. Lewis: Uh – huh

Judy Benjamin: See, I did join the army, but I joined a “different” army. I joined the one with the condos and the private rooms.

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